Jason Button

That may not seem like much of a statement without the understanding that the majority of the crowd at the Utilita Arena on March 15 2022 held tickets labelled as September 11 2020.

Selling out a show is no mean feat, especially if it is your first headline gig, and that is testament to the attention that seems to be heading Wild Spelks’ way.

If there is one band who can sum up the euphoria of summer, it is Vandebilt. The Sunderland based band have built a loyal following of fans thanks to their sets full of synth driven bangers since their formation in 2018, and their newest track ‘Feel’ acts as an ode to a lost summer. In a year when plans are cancelled, festivals are postponed and we spend half our week wondering what could have been, the band tease us with nearly four minutes of pure summer ecstasy.

At this stage in 2020 nothing is really normal. Our lives aren’t as they should be and this has been met by struggles from both artists and their audiences. Sunderland’s SLY HAND have combined the mental health issues of isolation and the anger at the lack of support for those in need with their new single ‘Big Pharma’ as they explore a real issue of our time, wrapping it up tightly in a traditional punk sounding three minute track.

In these turbulent times, very little seems to shine through the darkness but there is one ray of joy coming out of Merseyside in the form of singer songwriter Zuzu. The future superstar is set to release her new EP ‘How It Feels’ early next month, with a live streamed launch party no less, and we caught up with her before her final night of her recent UK tour.

Following on from the the release of their third album ‘Take A Bite’, Newcastle folk rockers Holy Moly and the Crackers returned last week with new single ‘Road To You.’ A cacophony of different sounds are presented over the short run of just over two and a half minutes, but the new track doesn’t seem to carry on the fun, wacky persona the group are able to brilliantly bring to a live setting.

It’s a cold Wednesday evening in Newcastle. Suits are rushing around trying to get home from work, doing their best to not be hit by the big bags from Christmas shoppers while students meander in large groups along Northumberland Street, laughing with each other as they go.

Since announcing their presence to the world on social media in the opening week of October, a debut single from the three piece has been inevitable and Bigfatbig have started in style.

In a time of unpopular opinion threads on social media, there is one thing that is undeniable – Soccer AM isn’t as good as it used to be. So when a video of Noel Gallagher playing guitar on the show appeared on my twitter timeline, it took me a couple of searches to find out why.

Last week one of the most influential UK music magazines, the NME, announced it will be ceasing to produce its print edition and become a purely online platform.